Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Táim buíoch go bhfuil deis labhartha ar an ábhar tábhachtach seo agam agus ag an Teachta Ó Gallchóir.

The Minister of State will recall that about two years ago, there was much hype when the then Minister of State, Kathleen Lynch, announced the Government's five-year programme of investment in nursing home facilities. Despite all the Government's efforts to sell this package as a good news story, it was met with justifiable shock, confusion and anger right across communities in Donegal. This was followed by confirmation that nursing beds in three existing community hospitals in the county, namely, Lifford, Ramelton and St. Joseph's in Stranorlar, were to be replaced by a new 130-bed central nursing unit to be constructed in Letterkenny. It has been that word "replaced" that has been the root cause of this public outrage and it is hardly surprising. In a single press statement, it was announced that the Government was planning to effectively downgrade not just one public community hospital but three, and all in the same county.

Since then, the communities affected have not stood idly by. They have organised and stood up for themselves. Over two years now and more, campaigners, members of the public, hospital staff, residents and families have literally taken to the streets in opposition to these plans. While their determination, passion and fight-back must be commended, the future of the services, in particular the long-term residential care in these hospitals, remains as uncertain as ever.

What was the cause of this cold, callous stroke? A ministerial pen two years ago. That is what caused all of this. It has been allowed to fester for the last two years. Far from providing certainty, the Minister of State and her Government have continuously given conflicting reports to communities concerned about the future of these services. Will the Minister of State give these communities the certainty and straight talking they deserve and that has been so shamefully denied for over two years? Will she now, before this House, clarify the future of long-term residential care in Lifford, Ramelton and St. Joseph's Community Hospital, Stranorlar? Will she give a commitment that these services at these hospitals will not be downgraded in the future?

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